


As Gold Fades to Black

by CourtedByDeath



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-11
Updated: 2013-04-11
Packaged: 2017-12-08 04:18:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/756948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourtedByDeath/pseuds/CourtedByDeath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. Post Series. When is paradise not paradise? When you're Claude Faustus and all you want to do is see <i>him</i> again. - In Progress</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome to Eternity

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't seen Season Two there will be Massive spoilers. Everything from Claude and Sebastian's past is purely headcanon. And yes this will be a Claude/Sebastian fic - expect flashbacks, as well as appearances of Alois, Ciel, Hannah.... Forgive the seeming Out of Character-ness if there is any I haven't written Alois aside from in little ficlets and the same goes for Claude.

While this place was lovely - beautiful, carefree and flawless he knew he didn't belong here. He could act as if it didn't bother him for only so long; only so many centuries where they would be enough - but in truth they never could possibly be enough. Not that they didn't ease the ache the grew and grew over the passing time, settling down deep starting with that heart he had forgotten he even had. Claude knew he should be grateful, grateful that a demon be allowed into this sacred place but Nirvana wasn't the place for him.

There was no freedom or bliss here to be had. As time ticked by his heart felt increasingly heavy, weighted and pained by chains; chains far stronger than any contract or wish that had ever held him. But he was here because of the wish - the wish of his pretend highness. His own wish was vastly different. In truth, he'd rather be frozen in the waters that had housed the Isle of the Dead an offering upon the altar; a sacrifice to fate and destiny, love for _his_ life.

Such a condition can only go unnoticed for so long especially under the eyes of so many. It's as he's braiding the stems of blue, black, and purple flowers into a crown for the sleeping boy against his master's -if he might even still call him such a thing now- lap that the blond glances at him out of the corner of his eye, a slight frown drawing his lips down. "Claude?" A small hand reading out to still the demon's. "You're not happy here with us are you?"

Just like a child to get right to the point, he muses as his hands still and gold eyes focus on Alois or was it Jim now? No, it was Alois - it would always be Alois. Fingers reach adjusting his glasses just slightly, a habit more than a necessity. "Whatever would give you that impression, Master?" His eyes shift for that instant to pin on Hannah and the triplets, surely they knew better than to even hint at what had truly happened.

Alois's hands came back down, fingers brushing dark bangs away from Luca's brow, eyes focusing on him now rather than Claude. He can see it better than anyone. He saw it when they first met, he saw it again and again over and over. He knew what it was like to give and give and try so very hard for someone, someone you loved and wanted so absolutely desperately that it was everything. "I'm not blind you know. I can see the look on your face when you think no one is looking, the sigh you make when you think no one listens. I'm always looking, always hearing, seeing..."

The former earl inhaled softly, teeth biting into his lower lip as his eyes closed. He opened them snapping his fingers, "Hannah." It didn't take longer then a minute and Hannah was there taking Luca up into her arms, cradling him close to her chest; as gentle and loving as any human mother. Alois was up in the following instant, dusting off his shorts and coat before reaching out for Claude's hand and pulling. "Come walk with me."

There was only one thing to do as he had no words to respond to him with. This place was supposed to be paradise, how could he dare to think of ruining that tranquility. Even though he was confused by this; emotions always made him uneasy, his heart stumble and falter it wasn't a new thing but rather a long standing condition. He found his feet arching a brow as Alois tightened his hold on his hand, as if the world had gone dark; as if some great and terrible thing were about to happen. In silence, they would walk til the others were well and out of sight.

"It's a burden seeing you this way, a weight on my chest; crushing, suffocating. I **hate** you for it. _I. Hate. You._ " He laughed softly bitterly and when at last he stopped and turned the demon could see the tears in his eyes, the bittersweet mix of anger, sadness and love all in the child's face. Small hands gripped the fabric of his coat, knuckles white as he gave a soft hiccup; bowing his head so it his face was pressed into Claude's chest. "But I love you all the same. All the more, even thought I know you don't - can't possibly ever truly return that exact same depth; not for me. **Never for me**!"

Claude inhaled and a gloved hand came to rest at the back of Alois's head, stroking soothingly over his hair down his back, an arm wrapping around his waist as he moves to kneel on one knee before him. He feels he owes his this much; all this and so much more for the way he murdered him, used him manipulated him and played with his heart. His hand moved to cup his cheek, golden eyes drifting closed as he ponders what to say but all thought stops in an instant.

" _Hoheo taralna, rondero tarel..._ "

It's said so softly at first, a whisper a barely there thread of sound that he, even as a demon, almost doesn't hear it. But he does and his eyes snap open as he feels the familiar flare of power that had been dormant awaken, the back of his left hand burning with that jolt; golden eyes taking on an amaranthine glow. Surprise flares in his chest, he had thought for certain that death ended the contract but that obviously wasn't the case.

" **Hoheo taralna, rondero tarel!** " He drew away wiping at his cheeks. "That's right, Claude. You're still _my_ butler, still bound to me even in death." As if to further prove his point Alois stuck his tongue out showing the contract that stood out starkly against the natural pink of it. His hands released his coat, both of them sliding upwards; one to rest against his chest the other sliding so that his fingers to fleetingly brush against the side of his neck and jaw.


	2. Not Quite Paradise

And time stopped instantly for him - still his butler even in death, still bound to the human. Of course, he was. Of course. Their contract had never been fulfilled. He would be trapped in his own personal hell, with echoing memories in his mind reminding him of the past he couldn't change, the other he tried so to save; to free - and that demon's phantom walked this alien land. A stark black against and endless sea of silvery whites, pale blues and dark flowers...

Claude Faustus now understood the truth behind the words, 'There is no greater hell than the one we craft for ourselves.'

For his was exquisite with all the ways it pained and mocked him. He had learned that he and he alone could see the shadowy specter, that he mustn't try to touch it should he wish it to linger; just as only he hear the sounds, the strains of a violin playing a song known only to two or the chuckle and gentle mocking of his true name from a smirking mouth. Only he saw the flash of carmine or amaranthine eyes, the smile with the faint flash of a delicate kitten-isque fang; a glimpse of swallowtails - at times even the slow fall of black feathers before the figure vanished into the blinding white.

Alois Trancy's heaven was the demon's hell and he'd damned the four that brought him here but most of all blamed himself. If only he had set his pride aside all those years ago, if only he had done a myriad of things he would not be here at all kneeling before a mere slip of a human who played at controlling a creature such as himself. He did this; put himself in this place – this position. “Your Highness, surely you know I died your butler. I need no contract to remind me of this fact. I have been your butler, your demon since you uttered that phrase; an unholy prayer to summon me forth.”

“Even so-, “ a pause, a hesitation for the boy is uncertain. “Even so, I think it may be time to let you go before you end up like that butterfly.” The butterfly the blond is convinced the delicate creature had died just to spite him, to escape. “Dead then swallowed up by flames. I destroyed it, Claude. I did more than cripple its wings. I broke its spirit, its heart. I won’t do that to you.” His hands grip at the demon’s hair.

“Yes, you died my butler but you and I both know you’ll always truly belong to someone else.” His lips twisted into a smile, not without an edge of malice for Alois was still bitter about how things had transpired between them, how he was tricked and cheated. “You have yet to grant my wish only I find I don’t want that any longer. I have another wish for you to fulfill. I want you to go back to the human world, alive.”

Claude almost snorted as it was he settled for a subtle arch of his brows. As if he hadn’t tried his hand at escape long before Alois seemed to come to this conclusion. He had tried many things; spells and incantations, every ritual he could think of an attempt escape this place. “You ask me for something I cannot do. I can’t leave this place any more than I could give Ciel Phantomhive to you. As loath as I am to admit this, I can do very little in this place; my powers are rather limited to the point of being nonexistent.” Those words hurt they were a blow to his pride and ego that nothing could soothe.

“You can’t but this is my world in a manner of speaking.” The blond responded smugly, swaying slightly to rock on his heels. “But there’s a price to pay and I’m not doing it.” He peered at the kneeling demon. “I’m going to give you freedom, a second chance but in return you pay the price. It isn’t much, just your power for a few days – tell me Claude can you handle being helpless if it means you get to return to your precious Sebastian again?” Bitterness had been creeping into his tone by now it was dripping like honeyed venom from the once-earl’s voice.

The demon can’t believe what he’s hearing, his breath, his heart – his everything seems to stop; not that he requires of these functions in this place. Was this a trick or an illusion of his crazed mind? But something, something dangerously like hope came to life in his chest. Alois’s words had stirred the embers of that longing he had never been able to shake, fanned and fed them til they were a lick of fire like a candle’s flame; steadily growing hotter, larger.

Did the boy not see? Already he was helpless, here in this place he was helpless bound on a tight chain. Ah, but to have the freedom, the slimmest of chances to catch a glimpse of the real Sebastian, to hear his voice, to be able to touch him – for the chance at doing any of these things he would gladly give his all for it was worth any cost. His head bowed after a moment and he managed a whisper, in a voice strained from the struggle to hold back emotion, to deny the urge he had to beg. “He is worth everything to me.”

Alois nodded and placed his hand on the top of the demon’s head. He exhaled softly the sound almost a sob as it passed his lips. “He doesn’t know how lucky he is.” The words are a harsh whisper even as the world around them took on a hazy, rippling appearance. The ground beneath them trembled then split cracking and crumbling a bit at first before becoming a gaping void, yet somehow they didn’t fall – they hovered. “This is going to feel strange.”

Those words where the only warning Claude got before his body was alive with pain. He couldn’t move not even to blink, anguished sounds raw and animal like whimpers and whines left him; tears trailing over his cheeks. His bones broke, shrank; shifting, changing and reforming. It was agony and he couldn’t even so much as breathe let alone writhe. When the pain subsided he found himself held, cradled gently. Alois’s hands held him and stroked soothingly over feathers the shade of a dark buttercup. Claude Faustus gave an angry cry, outraged but it came out as a loud trill; a piercing whistle because you see, birds can’t scream.


End file.
